Convertible display stand



. .SAND Nov. 9, 1965 c A AND CONVERTIBLE DISPLAY ST 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1963 Wou 0000003000000 Nm oouooonnnungu DOOODOUOOOOO oeooooaoooououoouooo %\N nouenooonoeunnooooeoooouo annoncennneooooueoaoaouooooa n" ecoooeooooe Nm" uoouoonousoooovoooaaoooooooocoooo INVENTOR.

Nov. 9, 1965 c. A. SAND 3,216,586

CONVERTIBLE DISPLAY STAND INVENTozg.

United States Patent O 3,216,586 CONVERTIBLE DISPLAY STAND Carl A. Sand, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Candle-Lite, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 309,077 Claims. (Cl. 211--134) This invention relates to a display stand.

The display stand structure of the present invention has ybeen created in lorder to solve a merchandising problem and particularly to solve the problem of merchandising seasonal items such as candles. To understand the problem yand consequently the inventive concept the system of merchandising should be understood at least in its broad outlines.

A retail merchant provides flo-or Space in his establishment for a concern known in the business as a rack jobber. That rack jobber has a great many items of merchandise which he can display in the store in any manner which he sees t. His relations with the retail store and his ability to keep the store as an account are dependent -on his ability to produce at least a desired minimum vol- -urne of sales out of the tioor space which his merchandise occupies. The merchandise is changed by the rack job- =ber continually not only to keep it up to date and fresh in appearance `but also to follow seasonal trends. The merchandise 4is serviced regularly lby an employee of the rack jobber who visits retail stores periodically and replenishes depleted supplies of goods as Well as changing the displayed 'merchandise from one variety to another. It is important to the eiciency of that service man that he be able to do his Work as quickly as possible, spending as little as fifteen or .twenty minutes in any one store.

it has further been the practice of the manufacturers of seasonal merchandise to provide the rack jobber with an inexpensive wire rack which, at the conclusion of the season, is thrown away or collapsed and put in storage. It is important that the rack cause the rack jobber and his service man as little diiiculty and time Ias possible, otherwise the rack jo'bber is likely to find it more profitable or desirable to deal in the goods of others.

This system constitutes a serious problem to the manufacturer of seasonal merchandise as for example candles. Candles `are a popular item during the winter holiday season and are, during that time, normally given a large and prominent display by the rack jobber. After the holiday season, however, the rack jobber concentrates on `other items to the extent that the candles may be completely removed from View. Under such conditions candles are sold only to persons who come into a store and specifically ask for them for there is no display to suggest to the customer that 'he purchase candles.

An objective of the invention has been to provide a display stand adapted to provide a full and prominent display of seasonal merchandise and which can be converted in part at non-seasonal times for the display of other merchandise. To this end, the embodiment lof the invention which is illustrated and described in detail below provides four shelves for the display of specific items, such as rectangular boxes of candles, the unit being convertible to permit the continued use of two shelves for the display of candles but to provide two 'deeper shelves for the display of other merchandise. It should be understood that for the purpose of an explicit discussion of the invention reference is made to the merchandising of candles but the invention is obviously applicable to the merchandising and display of other articles.

It has been another objective of the invention .to provide a rack having a portion of the shelf space con- 3,2lb,586 Patented Nov. 9, i965 vertible for the display of different types of merchandise, the rack being constructed to provide the maximum of convenience and minimum of time insofar Kas making the conversion is concerned. More specifically this conversion can be effected vwithout requiring any manipulation of bolts, screws, clamps or the like but rather merely by lifting and turning a convertible shelf unit. In the same regard it is a further objective to provide a rack which constitutes `an attractive piece of furniture in order to encourage the rack jobber .to keep the rack in the store twelve months out of the year.

It can be seen that the invention constitutes an improvement in two distinct areas of merchandising goods for it has the needed appeal to the lmanufacturer of specific goods as well as the rack jobber of a variety of goods. lt provides assurance that the goods lof the manufacturer, even though they may be seasonal, will be given a continual display and the rack jobber is satisiisd to give such goods :a continual display for he has been provided with an attractive fixture which, with a minimum of difficulty and time, he can convert for the display of a wide variety of types of goods.

These and other objectives lof the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

FiG. 1 -is a perspective view of the invention adapted to display one type of merchandise,

FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view of the invention converted to disp-lay a variety 4of types of goods,

FiG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the invention with the shelves in the attitude of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a similar vertical sectional View with the shelves in the attitude of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along lines 5 5 of FIG. 4.

The display rack indicated at 10 has a base 11 which supports spaced vertical side Walls 12 between which are mounted fixed shelves 13 and 14 and a convertible shelf unit 15. Projecting above the side walls is an advertising display panel 16. As viewed in FIG. l, the shelves 13 and 14tas well as the convertible shelf unit 15 are oriented and configurated to display certain specific items as for example boxes of candles. Preferably the advertising display panel has indicia and/or articles mounted on it which are related to the specific items of -merchandise displayed on the shelves. As shown in FIG. 2, the unit 15 has lbeen reversed and provides two shelves for any of a variety of types of goods while the fixed shelves 13 and 14 as weil as the disp-lay panel 16 remain as before, that is adapted principally for the displlay of the original and specific goods.

As indicated above, it is most important to the utility of the rack that the conversion be eifected as conveniently and rapidly as possible and therefore the structural details of the invention are of considerable importance, these being illustrated in FIGS. 3 5. The rack is supported on a base 11 which has side walls 20 and a front wall 21 rigidly joined together by frame members 22. A platform 23 providing an upper surface 24 encloses the top of the base 11. The platform 23 has along the front edge thereof a m-old strip 2S of trapezoidal .section which enhances the appearance of the rack as will be explained below.

The side walls 12 are secured at their lower ends to the side edges of the platform 23 and are supported at their upper end portions by the shelves 13 and 14 which are fixed between the side Walls. Each side wall has an inclined front edge 27 and a vertical rear edge 28, each rear edge having a vertical post 29 secured to it to provide a mounting abutment for the convertible shelf unit 15. The posts are slotted at 30 to receive the display panel 16.

The shelf 13 has a fixed back panel 31 secured to it, the back panel having a fiange 32 depending below the shelf 13. The upper end of the panel 31 is secured to a brace 33 extending between the side walls 12.

The shelf 14 is mounted between side brackets 36 which are fixed to the inwardly facing surface of the side walls 12. A brace 37 supports the rear edge portion of the shelf 14 and a mold strip 33 having a slot 39 receives and supports the front edge of the shelf 14.

The convertible shelf unit is constructed of a shelf support in the form of a panel 41 which is preferably a perforated panel having a plurality of uniformly spaced holes 42 as shown in FIGS. l and 2. The panel 41 is bounded at its side edges by side framing 44, at its upper edge by a frame member 45 and at its lower edge by a shelf 46. Intermediate the upper and lower edges of the panel 41 is a shelf 47 which extends between the side framing 44. The thickness or depth of the convertible shelf unit is equal to the width of the fixed shelf 13 so that when the `unit 15 is in the position shown in FIG. 3 it rests at its upper edges against the fiange 32 of panel 31 and its front edges lie in the plane of the inclined front edges 27 of side walls 12. When in this position, the mold strip 25 engages the under surface of the shelf 46 and the front surface of the mold strip and shelf 46 are ush with each other. The lower edge of the convertible shelf unit is supported substantially entirely on the platform 23.

As shown in FIG. 4, a line at 50 on the rear surface of fixed panel 31 is spaced above platform surface 24 a distance equal to the height of the convertible shelf unit. That line 50 is spaced horizontally from the front surfaces of posts 29 a distance equal to the thickness or depth of the convertible unit. This dimensional relationship permits the mounting of the convertible shelf unit in a vertical attitude illustrated in FIG. 4 with the upper edge of the convertible shelf unit firmly supported against transverse movement between the posts 29 and the rear surface of panel 31. The unit 15 when in this vertical position can have its shelves 46 and 47 projecting rearwardly as illustrated or can have them projecting toward the front if desired. The preferred position is as illustrated.

A removable cantilever shelf 52 extending between the side walls 12 is provided. The shelf 52 is supported in wire brackets 53 having ends S4 and 55 projecting through selected apertures 42 in the peg board panel. The shelf is positionable in any one of a plurality of vertically spaced locations on the peg board panel 41 and can be removed and stored in the base 11 or on the platform 23 behind the convertible shelf unit when that unit is in the inclined position of FIG. 3.

In the use of the invention specific articles of merchandise may be displayed on the shelves 13 and 14 and 46 and 47 when the convertible shelf unit is in the position of FIG. 3. There the convertible unit is fully supported without aid of any xing device such as screwflglts or the like by its engagement at the lower end with the platform 23 and at the upper end with the ange 32 of the fixed back panel 31. Preferably the items displayed are associated with advertising indicia on the advertising panel 16.

When desired, the convertible unit 15 can be shifted to the vertical position of FIG. 4 merely by lifting it out of its supported position of FIG. 3 in a forward direction, turning it around and, inserting the upper end between the posts 29 and rear surfaces of fixed panel 31 after which the lower end is slid rearwardly until it engages the posts 29. No extraneous devices are required to hold the unit in that position. Depending upon the size and configuration of the merchandise to be displayed, the cantilever shelf 52 can be mounted in any desired vertical location.

I claim:

1. A display stand comprising,

a base having a horizontal upper surface,

a pair of spaced vertical side walls secured to said base and having vertical rear edges and inclined front edges,

a reversible shelf unit comprising an upright back wall having shallow shelves on one surface thereof,

support means on said side walls engageable by the upper end of said shelf unit for holding said shelf unit securely and selectively in a vertical position in an inclined position parallel to said inclined front edges in which said shelves face toward the front,

means for mounting shelves on said back wall on its surface opposite said shallow shelves.

2. A display stand comprising,

a base having a platform,

a pair of spaced side walls secured to said platform and projecting vertically above said base, said side walls having front inclined edges, and rear vertical edges,

a first abutment fixed between said side walls and positioned between said front and rear edges, and above said base,

a convertible shelf unit having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the distance between said base and said abutment and being adapted to lie in an inclined display position parallel to said inclined edges supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end on said abutment,

a second abutment fixed to the rear edges of said side walls and being spaced from said rst abutment a distance equal to the thickness of said convertible unit,

said convertible unit being adapted to stand in a vertical display position supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end between said first and second abutments.

3. A display stand comprising,

a base, a horizontal platform mounted on the top of said base,

a pair of spaced side walls secured to and projecting vertically above said base, said side walls having front inclined edges, and rear vertical edges,

a panel fixed between said side walls and lying in a plane parallel to said inclined front edges, the lower edge of said panel being spaced above said base platform,

a shelf mounted on said panel and spaced above the lower edge of said panel,

a convertible shelf unit having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the distance between said platform and said panel lower edge and being adapted to lie in an inclined display position parallel to said inclined edges supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end on said panel,

a pair of vertical posts fixed to the rear edges of said side walls and being spaced from the lower edge of said panel a distance equal to the thickness of said convertible unit.

said convertible unit being adapted to stand in a vertical display position supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end between said posts and panel.

4. A display stand comprising,

a base, a horizontal platform mounted on the top of said base,

a pair of spaced side Walls secured to and projecting vertically above said base, said side walls having front inclined edges, and rear vertical edges,

a panel fixed between said side walls and lying in a plane parallel to said inclined front edges, the lower edge of said panel being spaced above said base platform,

a convertible shelf unit having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the distance between said platform and said panel lower edge and being adapted to a pair of vertical posts fixed to the rear edges of said side walls and being spaced from the lower edge of said panel a distance equal to the thickness of said convertible unit,

said convertible unit being adapted to stand in a vertical display position supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end between said posts and panel.

. A display stand comprising,

base, a horizontal platform mounted on the top of said base,

pair of spaced side walls secured to and projecting vertically above said base, said side walls having front inclined edges, and rear vertical edges,

panel Xed between said side walls and lying in a plane parallel to said inclined front edges, the lower edge of said panel being spaced above said base platform,

convertible shelf unit having a vertical dimension slightly greater than the distance between said platform and said panel lower edge and being adapted to lie in an inclined display position parallel to said inclined edges, said unit being supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end on said panel,

abutments iixed to the rear edges of said side Walls and being spaced from the lower edge of said panel a distance equal to the thickness of said convertible unit,

said convertible unit being adapted to stand in a vertical display position supported at its lower end on said platform and at its upper end between said abutments and panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,106 6/20 Wieman 211-134 1,694,520 12/28 Sturdavant 211-134 2,528,807 11/50 Whitney 10S-110 2,792,126 5/57 Mapstone 10S-16 2,954,125 9/60 Husted 10S- 62 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,058,252 3/54 France.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY STAND COMPRISING, A BASE HAVING A HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACE, A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICAL SIDE WALLS SECURED TO SAID BASE AND HAVING VERTICAL REAR EDGES AND INCLINED FRONT EDGES, A REVERSIBLE SHELF UNIT COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT BACK WALL HAVING SHALLOW SHELVES ON ONE SURFACE THEREOF, SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID SIDE WALLS ENGAGEABLE BY THE UPPER END OF SAID SHELF UNIT FOR HOLDING SAID SHELF UNIT SECURELY AND SELECTIVELY IN A VERTICAL POSITION IN AN INCLINED POSITION PARALLEL TO SAID INCLINED FRONT EDGES IN WHICH SAID SHELVES FACE TOWARD THE FRONT, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SHELVES ON SAID BACK WALL ON ITS SURFACE OPPOSITE SAID SHALLOW SHELVES. 